The Town FilesSanta Barbara County, California
443,701 people. The median home is worth $790,700 (typical California town: $596,900) and the median household earns $98,161.
Towns in Santa Barbara County
| Town | People | Median home | Income | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | 109,707 | $531,700 | $84,746 | 29.3 |
| Santa Barbara | 88,665 | $1,570,800 | $106,182 | 39.7 |
| Lompoc | 44,444 | $472,900 | $72,004 | 35.1 |
| Goleta | 32,690 | $1,062,100 | $122,370 | 36.9 |
| Orcutt | 32,034 | $624,500 | $111,416 | 39.9 |
| Eastern Goleta Valley | 28,656 | $1,361,700 | $146,284 | 45.7 |
| Isla Vista | 15,500 | $1,218,800 | $25,972 | 21.2 |
| Carpinteria | 13,264 | $1,043,100 | $100,658 | 44.8 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | 9,710 | $452,900 | $69,327 | 20.0 |
| Montecito | 8,638 | $2,000,001 | $231,005 | 50.0 |
| Guadalupe | 8,057 | $495,600 | $66,930 | 28.2 |
| Vandenberg Village | 7,308 | $637,100 | $110,904 | 41.2 |
| Solvang | 6,126 | $949,600 | $109,091 | 54.2 |
| Buellton | 5,161 | $837,400 | $99,936 | 39.0 |
| Santa Ynez | 4,505 | $1,163,000 | $110,781 | 37.8 |
| Mission Hills | 3,571 | $492,900 | $111,974 | 42.4 |
| Vandenberg AFB | 3,559 | — | $84,167 | 25.1 |
| Mission Canyon | 2,540 | $2,000,001 | $208,466 | 48.8 |
People and housing
| Santa Barbara County | Typical California town | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $790,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,131 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $98,161 | $91,557 |
| Median age | 34.6 | 40.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.7% | 10.3% |
Jobs and pay
216,323 jobs in 2024, average pay $69,664 a year.
Storms since 1996
NOAA recorded 208 storm events in Santa Barbara County from 1996 to 2026, with 29 deaths.
Federal disaster declarations
Santa Barbara County has been included in 43 FEMA declarations since 1953.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 13, 2021 | Fire | FM-5419: Alisal Fire |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).